Improvement in spoons



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GEORGE H. SPENCER, OE CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TOHIMSELF AND JOSHUA B. GLENN, OF SAME PLAGE.

Letters Patent No. 107,419, dated lS'qptcmbcr 13, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPONS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same I, GEORGE H. SPENCER, of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, State of Ohio, have invented an Improved- Spoon, of which the following is a specification.

Nature und Object of the Intention.

Description. of Accompanying Drawing. liignre 1 is a longitudinal section of my improved spoon; and n Figure 2, a plan view.

r'cnoral Description.

A is the bowl, and B the handle of the spoon, the handle in the present instance, heilig cylindrical iu shape, and containing a. chamber, X, -whieh 'is contracted at thc lower end, fc, above the rear end of the bowl.

lhc upper end of thcliollow handle is closed by a screw-cap, C, and within the chamber X, near the lower end, is a seat for a valve, a, which is connected to a lever, b, hung tofa projection, c, en the handle, a spring, i', pressing against the under side ofthe lever, and tending -tomaintain the valve in contact with its seat.

A plate, d,- is secured to the edges, and covers the bowl ofthe spoon from the tip or lower end to a point adjacent to the handle, forming a chamber, Y, but leaving an .uncovered portion or opening, in, and from the tip* projects a contracted hollow nipple, il, which may lic-formed by prolonging the ltip ot the spoon or by soldering' a'tube to the latter.

The above-described spoon, while it may be usefully employed as a substitute for au ordinary spoon in man cases, is especially serviceable in administering food or medicine to infants, inasmuch as the nipple u can be readily retained in the mouth, and held so as to permit the child to draw the contents from the bowl, and thus Aobtain Athe tluitl in a more maternal manner than when it is poured directlyr into the mouth, while the plate d will effect-ually prevent the fluid (which is discharged from the reservoir X by raising ,the valve a.) from flowing from the bowl. n

In many instances the reservoir X maybe dispensed with, as the chamber Y may be filled. through the opening nl, and will frequently retain as milch fluid as is necessary to be administered aton'e time; Iand, it' desired, a sponge, y, may be placed in the bowl adjacent. to thel nipple, to prevent too ready a discharge of the contents. n

If desired, an ordinary bowl may be used in connection with'the hollow handle and its valve, the latter being/raised when the bowl is in such a position as to conduct the duid (after it ilows from the reservoir) to the mouth.

It will he apparent that the nipple u may be arranged at the tip without necessarilyT employing the plate d, and that thenipple may be arranged at one side of the spoon, instead of at the tip.

1. The combination, with a spoon, of a nipple, u, substantially as set forth.

2. The combinatiolnwith the bowl A, of the said' nipple u, plate d, and opening in, as described'. Y The combination of thebowl A, handle B, its. reservoir X, contracted mouth cv, and valve a, substantially as specified.

4. The sponge y, arranged in the bowl of the spoon beneath the plate (l, and adjacent to the nipple u, as described. y In testimony where-nfl have signed -my name to this speciiieat-ion in 4the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. GEORGE H. SPENCER."

\\'itne\ss'cs;

CHARLES E. Foslnn, T. C. CONNOLLY. 

